Yoshi's Safari (1993). Play online

Summary

Yoshi's Safari is Nintendo’s only rail‑shooting entry in the Mario family and a rare SNES game that makes full use of the Super Scope light gun. It thrusts the player into a first‑person view from Mario’s perspective as he rides atop his dinosaur companion.

Players blaze through twelve Mode 7‑styled stages, blasting familiar foes such as Goombas, Koopas and Cheep‑Cheeps while shooting question‑block symbols for extra coins. A power gauge drains with rapid firing, forcing a measured rhythm and adding tension when enemies swarm.

Each level ends with a boss—typically a Koopaling piloting a mech, a giant enemy, or Bowser—where special power‑ups like mushrooms, flowers and stars boost health, firepower, or temporary invincibility. A two‑player mode lets one shooter control Mario with the Super Scope while a partner maneuvers Yoshi using a regular controller.

The title’s smooth scrolling, vibrant sprite work and memorable soundtrack earned it praise. However, its brief length and reliance on the rarely‑owned Super Scope limited commercial success, leaving Yoshi's Safari as a unique footnote in Mario history.

Storyline

In Yoshi's Safari, Bowser and his Koopalings launch an invasion of Jewelry Land, a kingdom reminiscent of the Mushroom Kingdom. They kidnap the rulers, King Fret and Prince Pine, and steal the twelve magic gems that protect the realm, triggering an earthquake that splits the land in two.

Princess Peach dispatches Mario, equipped with the Super Scope, to team up with his trusty dinosaur Yoshi. Together they ride across the fractured kingdom, hunting down Bowser’s forces and the stolen gems.

Among the Koopalings, Iggy contributes powerful mechs to bolster the enemy army, adding extra challenge to each stage. The goal is to recover all twelve gems, free the captured rulers, and restore peace to Jewelry Land.